Keep My Heart in My Chest
by aumontalc
Summary: Fitz has just been shot. How does Olivia react?


_A/N: Hello! I'm new to writing Scandal fic. This story is my response to the promo for this week's episode._

The three short pops cut through the buzzing hum of the people arriving at the gala. A jolt of fear ran down Olivia's spine. No stranger to dangerous situations, she immediately sensed something was wrong, very wrong. Turning quickly, she saw her beloved Fitz crumple to the ground.

Instinct made her want to rush to his side, but reality sunk in. She wasn't his wife. So instead, she had to watch as his bodyguards circled around him, as 911 was dialed, as Mellie cried and held Fitz's head in her lap.

No, she could only watch in complete horror as the man she loved lay deadly still on the ground. The gunman might have as well have shot her. She felt like she couldn't breathe, couldn't move.

Edison grabbed her arm and attempted to steer her away from the chaos. Olivia shrugged herself out of his hold. She might not be able to run to Fitz, but she would not leave until he was on his way to a hospital.

"Olivia, let's go. It's not safe here," Edison told her.

"I need...I need to stay," she barely gasped out. Her hand was pressed against her chest as if to make sure that her heart didn't fall out. "I can't leave. I have to know he's OK."

"Olivia, we don't know where those shots came from. Let's get away from here," he said, taking hold of her arm and trying again to drag her away.

"No, no," Olivia cried, pushing his hands away more forcefully this time and walking back to her previous spot. "I'm not going to leave him."

Edison paused, looking at her suspiciously. "You're not going to leave him? What nonsense are you spouting?" he asked. He glanced at her face, then stared at the president on the ground.

Edison's stunned look of comprehension informed her that he had figured out the nature of her relationship with the president, but she was beyond caring. Her only thought was of Fitz and his wellbeing.

Edison walked back to her, but instead of trying to grab her arm again he just stood there.

A moment's concern crossed her mind for Edison. "You're not going to go somewhere safe?"

"No, I'm not going to leave you."

* * *

Please let him live, please let him live, please let him live, Olivia thought over and over as she watched the team of doctors treat Fitz. The last twenty minutes had passed in a blur. When the ambulance had finally arrived, Cyrus had approached her and asked her to ride with him. Not wanting to waste a second, she had left Edison with barely a goodbye. Now, here she stood, unable to keep tears from streaming down her face.

He could not leave her like this. He couldn't. She wouldn't let him. After all they had gone through, he couldn't just die and leave her all alone. Anger at the gunman raged through her. If she ever met him face to face, he wouldn't last for two seconds. Anger at herself also seethed through her veins. She might have wasted her last opportunity to be near him on her silly attempt to do the right thing. If she hadn't tried so hard to stay away from him. If she hadn't tried to rekindle what had barely been there with Edison in the first place. If she hadn't agreed to Mellie's stupid plan to keep him as president. If, if, if. So much wasted time. So many wasted opportunities.

Olivia looked at Cyrus, astounded, as the man visibly tried to hold back tears. She didn't always agree with Cyrus's methods, but she knew one thing. Cyrus definitely loved Fitz and had his back at all times.

"He's going to be alright," she reassured him for both his benefit and hers.

Cyrus sniffed. "I pray that you're right. Who knows what will happen to our country if he doesn't make it?"

Olivia hadn't for one second thought about what Fitz's death would mean to the country. She had only thought about what it would mean to her. To never see him again, to never touch him, to never hold him.

All of a sudden, the team of doctors were racing out the room and into the hallway.

"Where are you taking him?" Cyrus asked.

"The operating room. His heart's failing," one of the doctors replied as they made their way to the elevator.

"Oh no. Oh no," Olivia whispered. The few tears that had been left unshed were starting to fall.

Cyrus's arm gently wrapped around her. Letting her guard down, she leaned in closer and rested her head on his shoulder, sobs shaking her small form. She shouldn't be doing this. She had no right to act this way. She had only been his mistress.

"He's going to be fine," Cyrus whispered. "He has the best surgeons. He's going to make it."

Funny how just a few seconds ago their roles had been reversed. Olivia had been the one to comfort Cyrus, but now it was Cyrus's turn. The sight of Fitz's body on the stretcher, unconscious and covered in blood had taken its toll on her fragile emotions. Her Fitz was tall, strong, capable. He made her feel safe. Now, he looked weak, lifeless. Her heart just couldn't take it.

Footsteps approached. Mellie stopped in the hall when she saw Cyrus. She had been taken to an examining room so that she and the baby could get checked out. Now back, she asked, "Where's Fitz?"

"They've taken him to an operating room. His condition is getting worse. We're not sure if he's going to make it" Cyrus replied.

Mellie put her hand over her mouth, trying in vain to hold back tears. How odd, Olivia thought, she hadn't realized that the First Lady was human enough to produce tears. Must be the pregnancy.

Mellie looked up and caught sight of Olivia. "What are you doing here?" she asked accusingly.

For once, Olivia was speechless. She mumbled, "I just wanted to see him."

Olivia took a step back as Mellie approached her menacingly. "You have NO right to see him. You're his slut not his wife. You have no claim to him. How dare you be here. How dare you! The last thing our nation needs is to see the president's mistress weeping at his bedside."

As much as she loved Fitz and knew how fake his marriage was, it still hurt to know that at the end of the day she was an adulteress. Mellie's words were true which is why they cut so deep. Despite all of that, there was no way she would leave the hospital without knowing he had made it through the worst.

"Well, no matter how much you despise me, I am still staying. Unlike you, I won't make a scene. No one will find out that I'm his slutty mistress."

"OK, let's just calm down," Cyrus interjected. "We're all facing a lot of stress. I think it would be best if the First Lady waited with her family. And Olivia, why don't you come with me?"

They both walked their separate ways. Three hours later, they found out that the president had survived his surgery. Tears of joy were loosed from Olivia's eyes. He was going to live., she thought She could hold him once more and this time she would never let him go.


End file.
